Gas turbine engines, such as those which power aircraft and industrial equipment, employ a compressor to compress air that is drawn into the engine and a turbine to capture energy associated with the combustion of a fuel-air mixture. Bolts are used on various portions/sections of an engine. For example, bolts are used to join engine case structures (or other components) to one another.
From time-to-time, one or more portions/sections of an engine may need to be disassembled. Such disassembly may be a part of routine/scheduled maintenance/inspection activities and/or may be undertaken to facilitate one or more repairs. In order to enable such disassembly, an anti-seize compound/lubricant (which is typically made of a metal material or a carbon-type of paste) is applied to a bolt prior to the assembly of the engine. The lubricant reduces friction between the bolt and a component (e.g., a flange) that the bolt mates to in order to ensure ease of assembly and to aid in the removal of the bolt during disassembly.
Referring to FIG. 2, a bolt 200 in accordance with the prior art is shown. The bolt 200 includes one or more threaded sections 204 and a head 208 with a thrust/washer face 212. To be effective, the lubricant is applied to at least the threaded sections 204 and the thrust face 212 of the bolt 200. A technician/mechanic typically uses a brush to apply the lubricant to the bolt 200. The application of the lubricant is time intensive and laborious. Moreover, the quality of the application is prone to variation, due at least in part to differences in technician training and experience.